Rumor mill churns for Mexicans abroad

It's easy to make assumptions about possible transfers for Mexican players abroad, but it is always difficult to know when or if the deals will actually be made. As every day goes by, another major deal seems to be made in Europe, but none for any Mexican players -- other than Jonathan dos Santos' transfer to Villarreal from Barcelona.

Javier Hernandez, Guillermo Ochoa, Alan Pulido and Raul Jimenez seem to be the most likely ones to find new teams, but fans will have to be patient with the new rumors that seem to be arising constantly.

The "Little Pea" finally received his first minutes under the new management of Louis van Gaal. Last Saturday, Hernandez came on as a sub in the last 20 minutes of Manchester United's 3-2 friendly win over Roma. The striker was not able to do much other than win a free kick for the Red Devils.

Van Gaal mentioned to the press that the Mexican international, along with others, are quality players for United. However, the manager did also state that the team was unbalanced with many players in the same position. Is Hernandez a key player for Van Gaal? Even if so, should Hernandez stay?

Javier Hernandez's Manchester United future remains in doubt.

Carlos Vela

Carlos Vela is still recovering from an injury to his right foot and will have to miss out on Real Sociedad's first game in the Europa League next Thursday.

Now that Antoine Griezmann is set to leave the San Sebastian club, Vela will need to play an even more significant role in Real Sociedad's attack this season.

Guillermo Ochoa

Another day and another team that could potentially sign goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa. Spanish side Malaga are the new rumored favorites to sign the Mexican international, and are apparently eager to sign him soon.

Ochoa's agent, on the other hand, has mentioned to the press that they are patiently waiting to sign with a squad and that they need to "clarify options" before making a decision. There are also rumors that another Spanish club, Getafe, may look to bring in Ochoa, as well.

Hector Moreno

Although Hector Moreno is doing well in his recovery from a fractured leg sustained in Mexico's World Cup defeat to the Netherlands, he still has another four to six months before he can begin playing again. Due to this, Espanyol have brought in 24-year-old Alvaro Gonzalez as a substitute for the central defender.

Giovani and Jonathan dos Santos

There has been plenty of underwhelming news for El Tri fans when it has come to the European transfer market this summer. Yet in the midst of all the drama, there has been a bright spot with the reunion of brothers Jonathan and Giovani dos Santos. Countless images on Instagram show that the two are delighted to be playing together in Villarreal. Will they have the same enthusiasm on the field?

Villarreal are set to play Levante in their first game of the season on Aug. 24.

Javier Aquino

I was at first skeptical about the decision, but a loan spell with Celtic would prove to be beneficial for Javier Aquino. The quick winger would likely be given more playing time than in Villarreal, and he would also have the great opportunity to take part in the Champions League.

Julen Lopetegui, Porto's new head coach, utilized Diego Reyes and Hector Herrera in the starting lineup in his first game as coach. The game was just a friendly, but it bodes well that Lopetegui trusted Reyes and Herrera enough to select them as starters.

The match, against Saint Etienne on Sunday, ended in a 0-0 tie.

Andres Guardado

Andres Guardado has now been training with Valencia in South America for about a week, but he still may not be featured in their match against Universidad Catolica on Tuesday.

The midfielder/wing-back has had little time to train with the team but seems to have found a "second wind" after his impressive performance in the World Cup. Whether he will maintain that level of play is another question.

Ulises Davila

Due to the fact Chelsea have him on contract for another two years, Ulises Davila is currently in London discussing his future with the club. Davila has publicly stated that he wishes to stay with Cordoba, but Chelsea seem unwilling to send him back to the Spanish side.

Chelsea and Cordoba were previously involved in weeks of discussion regarding the player but were never able to find common ground.

Nery Castillo

The 30-year-old veteran is now plying his trade over in Greece with Kalloni FC. Will Nery Castillo once again succeed in the Greek Super League?

Kalloni lost 3-1 against Napoli in a friendly on Monday. Castillo was not on the roster for the match.

Jesus Manuel Corona

Jesus Manuel Corona was given the start on Monday for FC Twente B's friendly against the U-23 Schalke team. Corona was a bit too heavy after the summer break and was dropped to the reserve squad. The young attacker was subbed out in the second half during the reserve team's 2-1 loss on Monday.

Jonathan Espericueta

The 19-year-old midfielder is still with Villarreal B until his loan ends in December. Espericueta will need to once again battle for time now that the B squad has apparently brought in another midfielder, Anton Shvets, over the summer.

Gabriel Piccolo

Partick Thistle have brought in only two players over the summer. Luckily for Gabriel Piccolo, they are both midfielders. Piccolo was seen as a backup option in central defense last season and may play the same role this upcoming season.

The Scottish Premiership begins on Aug. 9.

Cesar Hernandez covers Liga MX and the Mexican national team for ESPN FC. Twitter: @cesarhfutbol.